Reviews

Legendary musician John Butler crashed Nicky Bomba’s gig for a brief-yet-powerful reunion at Zion last night. Yes, that John Butler! The multi-award winning front man of The John Butler Trio, and genius behind the impeccable and stupefying instrumental track “Ocean”, teamed back up with Bomba to share some love with his Maltese fans – and they did not disappoint.
The humble Nicky Bomba informed Lovin’ Malta during our interview earlier this week that there would be very special guests joining th...

A lulling orchestral loop instantaneously draws the listener in, as if snagged by a symphonic-lasso weaved from the very heartstrings of Ireland’s own indie-rock act, ONOFF. It’s the ever-misleading calm before the storm, which in this case takes the form of driving rock riffs and the crashing percussive-pulse of the band’s latest single, ‘What Matters Most’.

In the twilight afterglow of a summer brimming with festival appearances across Ireland, up-and-coming pop artist, FYA FOX, has dropped a crisp new single, ‘Duvet Day’, that is bound to keep the autumn fire lit.


Equal parts playful and poignant, FYA FOX explores self-empowerment as a cure to the acute, universally relatable pitfalls posed by anxiety, and the sly quicksand-comfort of reclusion found in the stifling embrace of a duvet-cocoon.

Marla Kether’s reintroduction to the music industry as a solo-artist is as refreshingly bold as it is sonically-diverse. Her latest single ‘In My Corner’ takes the listener on an Afrofuturist-journey through the multitude of musical traditions boasted by the African diaspora.


‘In My Corner’ acts as a multilayered, multicultural, melodic canvas of sorts – featuring elements of Kether’s own Congolese roots, featured artist K.O.G’s mesmerizing Ghanian vocals, and spiced with dashes of Caribbean

Daughter of Drum’s debut album Pink Breath is an impressive display of artistic versatility, as Irish artist Aofie McAtamney demonstrates an extraordinary ability to blend an array of musical styles – fearlessly traversing a range of artistic mediums to deliver raw poetic reflections to her audience. Previously known for her work in the contemporary dance scene, McAtamney’s latest project under the moniker Daughter of a Drum is a bold leap into the world of indie-folk pop, which does not disappoint.

Hunter S. Thompson once famously wrote:

“The Edge… There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. The others-the living-are those who pushed their control as far as they felt they could handle it, and then pulled back, or slowed down, or did whatever they had to when it came time to choose between Now and Later. But the edge is still out there.”

PÄRADOX CÄSTLES’ 2024 single, ‘Jump off the Edge’, explores the very essence of Thompson's conundrum; a tight-rope tap dance on the Do I? Don’t I? edge of love; an angsty meditation on the precipice of The Unknown.

While thematically linked to earlier tracks like ‘Undone’ and ‘Had it All’ – reflections on
relationships fated to fail and delving into the emotional turmoil that comes with romantic doom – Esmae’s latest track ‘Fire’ explores this timeless musical theme with new, unapologetic confidence. Esmae, whose previous work has already established her one of the UK’s most promising artists currently blasting through the pop stratosphere, has teamed up with musical compatriot and hard-hitting grime rapper, Onika J, on their latest single ‘Fire’ — a daring stylistic divergence that pays off.

In his latest release, I store my fear and my pain in the nape of my neck, rising Polish pop sensation, Jann, courageously and unapologetically invites listeners to glimpse into his very soul through seven tracks of raw, poetic lyricism delivered through striking, multi-octave operatic vocals and finely-layered beats....